Mountain Review: Timberline Lodge
MOUNTAIN SCORE
NOTE: This page only covers one of three major resorts in the Mount Hood area. Also see our Mount Hood Meadows and Mount Hood Skibowl reviews.
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
See our criteria
7
Snow:
5
Resiliency:
5
Size:
6
Terrain Diversity:
3
Challenge:
8
Lifts:
5
Crowd Flow:
6
Facilities:
6
Navigation:
7
Mountain Aesthetic:
GOOD TO KNOW
On-site Lodging: Yes
Aprés-ski: Moderate
Pass Affiliation: Powder Alliance (winter only)
Recommended Ability Level:
+ Pros
Year-round ski season
World-class terrain parks
Distinctive high-alpine snowfields
Rustic, historic lodge
High-speed lifts
Available night skiing
– Cons
Resort never spins 100% of lifts, with high-alpine areas closed during the winter and lower elevations closed during summer
Inconsistent conditions during winter months
Very little true advanced and expert terrain
Lift logistics that result in chokepoints and long lines
MOUNTAIN STATS
Lifts: 8
Trails: 41
Beginner: 25%
Intermediate: 50%
Advanced/Expert: 25%
VIDEO
Mountain Review
Located on the south face of Mount Hood and home to a historic lodge, Timberline Lodge is the only ski resort in North America to feature a year-round operating schedule. The resort’s unique summer skiing opportunity generates considerable interest, but the mountain faces stiff competition during the core winter season. As one might expect, the resort’s experience varies considerably depending on the time of year.
During the winter months, Timberline generally sees high-quality snow but variable conditions. The resort sees a number of powder days throughout the winter, although not quite as many as at some Washington resorts; however, the accumulation tends to be less wet and heavy than at those mountains. Winter wind and storm cycles can bring about windswept, icy conditions—especially in upper-mountain areas. Spring and summer give way to more consistent, sunny conditions and soft snow, although wind holds do still occur occasionally.
Timberline’s snowpack gradually recedes as the summer goes on, and less and less of the footprint remains skiable as the fall approaches. By May, only the high-alpine Magic Mile and Palmer lifts remain open—and by June, only Palmer still services skiing. By late summer, only the terrain above Palmer’s mid-station—which is only set up when needed—remains open.
Timberline’s 12-month ski season claim holds shakiest during the early fall. Past Labor Day and through Thanksgiving, the resort spins the Palmer lift only on select weekends, should enough snow remain. In many years, the snowpack recedes too much for the lift to spin at all, and guests must hike to reach what remains of the Palmer snowfields. But the off-season doesn’t last long—winter lift operations generally resume some time in November, depending on fall storm cycles and the snowpack.
Timberline is known for one of the strongest terrain park setups in the Pacific Northwest, with a freestyle presence on the mountain year-round. During the winter months, the overwhelming majority of features exist off the Stormin’ Norman lift, including boxes, rails, jumps, and halfpipes ranging from small to large. Park features get beefed up during the spring, with special events such as Holy Bowly, an extensively-crafted flow park, and It’s Tits, a women’s snowboarding event with aptly-shaped snow features. The park moves up to Palmer during the summer and continually receives re-setting as the snowpack recedes; during the late summer, Timberline commissions a dedicated rope tow for the park. The summer setups are arguably the most impressive of all, with features built to competition-grade standards. Professional teams often rent out the parks for training during the summer months.
During the winter months, Timberline offers night skiing on some lower-mountain terrain. Only a select few trails and freestyle features remain open after 4pm, but the resort enjoys phenomenal sunsets that are a treat to watch while skiing. Operations can go as late as 10pm depending on the day of the week.
At a first glance, there’s a lot to like about Timberline. The resort certainly isn’t the biggest, but on paper, it boasts a considerable 3,690-foot vertical drop across quite varied terrain. On a clear day, all but the lowest mountain areas feature striking vistas of Mount Hood. Now that the Pucci lift has been upgraded to a high-speed quad, the resort features high-speed lift service across nearly all terrain (the one exception is the bunny hill, which is served by a double chair that only takes about 30 seconds to ride).
However, unprepared guests may end up disappointed with a winter trip. Due to the resort’s unique four-season setup, the resort never spins 100% of its lifts, with the highest-elevation Palmer lift out of commission from December to May (the lift incredibly gets buried by the winter accumulation and must be dug out for spring operations). The Palmer snowfields are home to all of Timberline’s distinctive advanced high-alpine terrain, and the lines aren’t short, spanning over 40% of the resort’s vertical drop. As a result, the lack of winter lift service is a major negative. The resort runs snowcat operations along Palmer on select weekends and holidays, but snow, wind, and visibility conditions have to be near perfect. Truly dedicated guests are welcome to hike the Palmer snowfields when the snowcat isn’t running, but the area won’t be regularly patrolled.
Some above-treeline terrain can remain open throughout the winter, although it’s not exactly reliable. On clear, less-windy days with sufficient snow cover, the resort runs its Magic Mile lift, which offers an entirely-above-treeline intermediate footprint. This terrain is quite unique for any ski resort, let alone one on the West Coast. Magic Mile’s operating schedule is a crapshoot during the peak winter season, but when it’s open (and Palmer isn’t running), it’s the best place to be on the mountain.
Besides Palmer and Magic Mile, Timberline chiefly consists of typical, below-treeline slopes. These areas are open with substantially more reliable schedules than the high-alpine areas, and most trails receive regular grooming. But for the most part, the terrain is rather unremarkable, chiefly consisting of beginner and intermediate cruisers.
That being said, lower-mountain areas do contain some interesting features. Timberline’s woods are an under-the-radar pleasure, featuring unique natural halfpipes. These glades are generally mellow in pitch—especially off the Pucci lift—making them solid areas to practice woods.
Besides the summer-only Palmer runs, Timberline contains very little advanced terrain. Only a handful of other black-diamond trails exist, and the tough pitches on each are quite short. We wouldn’t consider any of Timberline’s terrain, including Palmer, to contain expert features. In fact, advanced intermediates should be able to handle everything at the resort.
Despite little in the way of challenges in-bounds, Timberline offers easy access to solid backcountry terrain. With the right conditions, it’s even possible to ski down to Government Camp and the much smaller Summit Ski Area at the base of Mount Hood. One off-piste path down to town, the Glade Trail, even gets groomed once a year. However, Timberline’s backcountry is not patrolled or maintained, and it should be explored with great caution.
Across different times of day and seasons, Timberline’s crowds vary almost as much as its terrain offerings. On winter weekdays and some summer days, lines at the resort are generally non-existent. However, weeknights and peak winter weekends see quite long lines, as large crowds flock to the modestly-sized mountain. Lower-mountain lifts start below the base, meaning there’s no way out besides riding these chairs, which leads to serious chokepoints. The worst lines actually occur during the late spring, when lower-mountain lifts have closed and people from other areas flock to Timberline after seasons at other resorts have ended (the mountain’s low-cost spring pass plays a major role in this).
Unlike most ski resorts, Timberline’s base area sits at the middle of the resort, above much of the skiable footprint. Generally, below-treeline slopes exist below the base, while above-treeline slopes can be found above it - hence the Timberline name. During the winter months when Magic Mile is closed, the base facilities offer the best views of any open area at the resort.
The base complex consists of a large building with ticket windows, shops, and multiple dining options. Directly above this complex sits the historic Timberline Lodge, which boasts a fancy restaurant—the Cascade Dining Room—and two bars with food service. The Cascade restaurant requires a reservation to be seated, but it’s generally easy to get in on weekday afternoons due to lower crowds.
Outside of the base, the only place to go in for a break is the small Phlox Point Cabin. This rustic lodge is small—and only open during the winter months—but it offers limited indoor and outdoor seating and serves casual lunch food, such as tacos. That being said, it’s never too hard to get back to the main base; every lower-mountain lift provides direct access to the complex, as does each upper-mountain area.
On the other hand, resort signage in some places is just plain lousy. Most major junctions lack trail maps, making it difficult for unfamiliar guests to pinpoint exactly where they are on the mountain. Additionally, some signs offer misleading directions or have faded past the point of usability.
Lodging
Timberline is perhaps even better known for its accommodations than its skiing, with the historic Timberline Lodge on-site. This lodge—the only on-site accommodation at a ski resort in Oregon—has a storied history, having been constructed in the 1930s by a New Deal agency and designated as a National Historic Landmark. The complex boasts a remarkably rustic feel, as well as a pool, hot tub, gym, and spa. However, due to its age, the building lacks the noise isolation and climate controls one might expect from a nice hotel. Prices are on the higher side—the cheapest rooms go for about $200 per night—and the fancy food options command a pretty penny as well.
For large groups (a 10-12 person minimum depending on the time of year), Timberline also rents out its high-alpine Silcox Hut. The private hut is not cheap, but the experience comes with free breakfast, a facility host, and on-demand snowcat transportation to and from Timberline Lodge.
For those not looking to stay directly on-site, a few cheaper inns exist in nearby Government Camp, OR; however, these accommodations run pricier than your typical motel due to the high demand. The cheapest options can be found about 45 minutes away from the resort in the Portland suburb of Gresham, where plenty of economical hotel and Airbnb options exist.
Aprés-ski
Timberline’s aprés-ski experience centers entirely around Timberline Lodge. The building’s Ramshead and Blue Ox bars are the places to be after a day on the slopes; Ramshead overlooks Mount Hood and offers phenomenal views, while the fully-underground Blue Ox offers a more laid-back environment. These spots may be slow on the weekdays, but they get absolutely packed on the weekends during the peak winter season.
Verdict
When other resorts are in season, Timberline is outclassed by other mountains with better, more difficult terrain. But during the summer, there’s nothing else in North America that can match. The unique terrain worth visiting for stays reliably open through the later months, so there’s no need to fret over missing the core winter experience.
NOTE: Mountain Score criteria for this resort were adjusted on October 12, 2021.
